RootsChat.Com
England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Berkshire => Topic started by: newburychap on Saturday 13 January 07 14:55 GMT (UK)
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For a while my sig line on Rootschat has expressed my intention of trying to sort out the HEAD family from Newbury and nearby villages. As I have very recently found more evidence to suggest that my great great great great grandmother, Mary HEAD was descended from this family I am now acually doing something about it. And have since changed the sig line
I have long suspected the link but had only one small piece of evidence - that John HEAD of Grindon, Bucks voted in the 1812 Election for Berkshire (from Berks FHS transcript CD) as a freeholder in Peasemore. As my Mary married in 1772 an Andrew HOLT, farmer fromn Grendon Underwood and there were HEADs in the GU PRs in the early 1800s I saw the faint chance of a link.
Online trees tell me that Mary was born in Grendon Underwood - naturally they were wrong.
Recently I have found that Mary came from Thame, Oxon (OFHS PR transcript) and that her father Richard was not from Thame. In his will (PCC 1778) he left his son John some property in Peasemore.
Thanks to the Wilts Wills Project I obtained the 1756 will of Richard HEAD of Leckhampstead, Berks. He left his son Richard property in Peasemore called Newlands and Belchers.
Finally I find yet another Richard HEAD voting in 1818 (Berks FHS CD) and baptising daughters in 1819 and 1821 - in Peasemore (transcript). The baptisms give him as 'of Freelands' a small farm to the north of the parish (no longer exists).
I await the opportunity to get to Aylesbury to examing the 1815 will of John HEAD of Grendon Underwood - which I hope will show some Peasemore property being left to his son Richard.
Meanwhile I have started to look at Richard, died 1756, buried Chieveley 10 May 1756. The Chieveley PRs for that period also cover Leckhampstead and a number of HEADs are shown as 'of Leckhampstead'. This is helpful in deciphering the links in the PRs and I can readily go back a few generations until I am stuck looking for yet another Richard HEAD who should have been baptised around 1580. There are a number of probable siblings born to John HEAD/HEDDE of Leckhampstead but no Richard. Either he was a name change (from Thomas, John, Giles or Henry) or another child who the clerk forgot to enter in the PRs or somehow missed being christened. Or he was from another family/place.
From this John of Leckhampstead the line goes back to another Richard - of Winterbourne who died in 1530 (according to published works by L G Horton-Smith - which I need to check).
If anyone in Rootschatland has done work on this family - especially on the Arch Berks wills I would love to hear from them.
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Dear Newburychap,
Thank you for posting the results of your research on Rootschat
Cousin EDO
from Brisbane
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There is a way to go before I can prove the link between Richard of Leckhamstead (d 1756) and Richard of Thame (d 1778) who I think was his son (c1704). My theory is totally based on the evidence showing property in Peasemore passing through both lines. If only the Oxon/Bucks end had a reference to the specific named property (Freelands or Belchers) that is referred to at the Berks end. Perhaps John HEAD's will of 1815 will do so (dream on).
Sadly I have now checked the 1768 Poll Book for Berkshire (forthcoming Berks FHS publication) and there is no HEAD voting a freehold in Peasemore - I had hoped that there might have been a Richard HEAD of Thame casting his vote :(
Maybe there are some manorial or tax records that would help but ........
Never mind, I am happy enough with my theory to start building the Berks end of the tree - to link into by main tree as and when I get more proof. It helps that the HEADs of Berks are an interesting family and worthy of study from a local history angle as well.
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I now have a copy of the will of John HEAD of Grendon Underwood, formerly of Marsh Gibbon. Written 23 Jun 1815, proved 2 Mar 1816 Arch Bucks.
In it he leaves property in Peasemore 'several freehold messuages or tenements cottages closes pieces or parcels of arable and other land or ground rents real estates hereditiaments and premises' in trust for his young son Richard Head Coles. Richard was one of several children born to John HEAD and Joanna COLES prior to their marriage. I believe (but can I ever prove?) that Richard went by the name HEAD and that it is he who is resident at 'Freelands' in Peasemore by 1819.
So I am increasingly inclined to the belief that Richard HEAD of Leckhamstead left (1756) Peasemore property (Freelands and Belchers) to his son Richard of Thame who I am certain left (1778) Peasemore property to his son John who in turn (1815) left it to his son Richard who resided at Freelands in 1819.
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Hello fellow Head researchers!
I am also researching the Heads of Newbury and the surrounding areas of Berkshire and have done for about 10 years. I have a large amount of information on them including wills, legal documents and other records I would be happy to share. The Heads of Newbury were a very prominant family with several members of the family holding the office of Mayor and others acting as JPs and/or Aldermen. They seem to have originated in Winterbourne and Chieveley where they again seem to have been a family of some standing.
There are branches of the family in Boxford, and Speen and I am fairly sure the Heads in Leckhampstead Peasemore are related to them as well. There are also several large properties in Newbury and Winterbourne which are associated with the Heads and several gravestones.
Please feel free to pm me if you would like to share info. It would be interesting to see if we can link these families up.
Matt
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To the best of my knowledge I am not related to any Heads from anywhere - but just wanted to mention - what a fabulous thread to highlight the hows and wheres of family research. Sources mentioned give options and details often not known about to those of us researching from "down under" and is much appreciated.
This comment
Online trees tell me that Mary was born in Grendon Underwood - naturally they were wrong.
should be noted by everyone doing family research. I sometimes think I spend more time disproving the research of others, than proving my own ;D
Many thanks for a great thread - and do please pass on details of any more finds
Trish
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Hello Trish ......
I'm disappointed!
I thought for a moment I might be related to you ........
Mary HEAD was my GGGGGrandmother on my maternal side through her marriage in 1772 to Andrew HOLT.
EDO
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And the next installment......
Courtesy Bucks FHS marriage index I have found the marriage of John HEAD and Joanna COLES in Grendon Underwood - 29 Feb 1808.
It doesn't add much to the story but does give an interesting thought - did Joanna (pregnant at the time with their 6th child) use the old tradition of a leap year proposal to persuade the old chap (he was 63 at the time) to finally marry her? Nice idea.
Next step on the Bucks end is to track down a load of burials - especially of his first wife, Judith (if this was in 1807/8 it would offer an alternative reason for the tardy marriage).
At the Berks end it's pretty basic stuff - the Chieveley PRs seem to take me back to the early C17th with a good chance that the next link is in Peasemore in 1570. One advantage of farming ancestry is that they don't move around much because the land ties them to the place. However, I'm not over-confident that I have got it right, it looks good from the PRs - but there are a lot other HEADs around to get mixed up with.
The trouble with finding several generations in a PR in virtually no time is that it is too easy to just plonk them in the tree and miss out on the opportunities to add some substance to your knowledge of them. So I need to check back at wills, tax records, polling records etc. to see what else I can find out - which will take a lot longer than it did to find them.
And I definitely need to bury them all (which may totally mess it up if I find some child burial when I have calculated that child was the father of a later generation). Of course to bury them I have to sort out the other lines to make sure I am not burying someone else's ancestor - I'll be in touch MattD30 (was the Widow HEAD buried in Chieveley in 1663 my Sibill?). Of course I also need find all the marriages to account for the female HEADs and to open up new lines of ancestors - irritatingly almost none of the marriages seem to have made it into the Berks or North Berks Marriage Indexes yet :(
Impossible to do completely of course - there are always some who manage to avoid being recorded or disappear across 3 or 4 counties to marry (in a parish not covered by the IGI of course).
Lots to do - it may be some time before the next installment!
To close with a query - one marriage that has been indexed is that of Thomas NORCROFT to Ann HEAD at Besselsleigh in 1728 - both are shown as being from Leckhampstead. Almost every marriage in that period is shown as being by licence and few of the happy couples include anyone from Besselsleigh - was this the eloper's destination of choice for west Berkshire?
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Almost every marriage in that period is shown as being by licence and few of the happy couples include anyone from Besselsleigh - was this the eloper's destination of choice for west Berkshire?
Enjoying your research as I am, I would have liked to be able to answer the above question - but unfortunately not - I do know, however, that a place called Norton-on-the-Moors was known as the "Gretna Green of the Potteries" (Staffordshire) - a fact dragged from somewhere I hate to admit, I did not retain the source. I researched this a couple of years ago, on finding a number of ancestors married in said parish. This was the comment & it may give some ideas in regard to your West Berkshire parish.
After 1805 at Norton-in-the Moors, the previous average of 70 marriages was doubled and exceeded 200 by 1820. The township had an abnormal number of marriages over a longer period than any other church in the neighbourhood of Stoke-upon-Trent. For this reason Norton has been described as the Gretna Green of the Potteries. ... ... Norton-in-the-Moors, Bucknall, Newcastle-under-Lyme, and Whitmore were all popular. All these churches are outside the Potteries district proper and it may be that in those days, when going away for the honeymoon was not usual, a short Journey into the country for the marriage ceremony was a pleasant way of marking such an important event. The reason why Norton was so popular is very likely because it was near to Burslem where the Pottery Industry first developed in the early eighteen century. The persistence of the custom may have been due to the same incumbent, the Rev. Daniel Turner, being there as curate, the Rector, from 1776 to 1826.
Trish
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Besselsleigh is a funny sort of place - a small village (pop 87 in 2001, 93 in 1851) that probably only had a church and parish because there was a big house there - owned at different times by the Bessel and Leigh families as well as the Fettiplaces (well known Berks nobs).
With this in mind the number of marriages is interesting - for instance 24 in 1728. And the number of marriages by licence is astounding - for many years (1668 to 1753). Hardwicke's Act was designed to do away with clandestine marriages - it certainly had an effect in Besselsleigh.
I've can't remember seeing anything about this locally - might be worth a bit of research.
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Still on the subject of the marriage in Besselsleigh (and HEADs of course).
I was just trying to get my records straight and tidy up the family tree in preparation for another trip to the BRO and I noted that I had a slight problem with the daughters of Richard HEAD (1677-1756).
In his will he mentions Anne, Mary, Elizabeth, Hannah, Sarah and Rachell - fairly consistently in that order. Anne is mentioned as the wife of Thomas NORCROFT - ie the lass who married in Besselsleigh.
All is fine until I compare this with the baptisms at Chieveley where the order (by baptism date) is Ann, Mary, Elizabeth, Sarah, Hannah, and Ann. If this second Ann really is Ann and not the missing Rachel then this is a fine reason for a clandestine marriage - she would have been 12 at the time of the marriage. I doubt that her parents would have allowed it to go ahead in the local church.
However Rachel married in 1737 - when the second Ann would have been 21. There is no Ann buried at Chieveley between the two 'Ann' baptisms.
I guess I will spend a few minutes checking PR films today.
PS I now have a HEAD tree going back to a baptism in 1538 (first time I have been able to follow a line back to the year PRs started. Of course it may well be seriously wrong - I will post it in a day or so so any HEAD researchers can tell me where I am wrong (I will send you a GEDCOM by email MattD30).
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After a few hours in the BRO:
1. The daughters of Richard HEAD (1677-1756) remain as before. There is nothing wrong with the transcript a second Ann is baptised. No Ann is buried between the two baptisms. Alternatives are:
a) Ann1 dies and is buried far away or not entered in PR Ann2 then arrives and marries at 12.
b) Ann1 surives and marries aged 27/8, Ann2 is misentry for baptism of Rachel (or second Ann is always known as Rachel).
I slightly prefer b).
2. The property at Peasemore is much clearer - about 30 acres in three pieces of land and a farm cottage and buildings known as Freelands and The Belchers plus three cottages in the village. All but the 3 cottages are sold by 1838 to some chap called GRIFFIN who lets it to Thos CLARKE (1838 Valuation of Peasemore). The cottages are owned by Richad HEAD and let to James HAMBLIN, George COOKE & Isaac LEAK). However, I cannot say for sure that the cottages and Freeland etc. were ever all owned by the same person.
3. Freeland occupied by Richard HEAD in 1755 (knew that), by Thomas HEAD in 1762 & 1768, Widow HEAD in 1774, Elizabeth HEAD (aka Widow?) in 1780 and 1787 (she dies in 1790 buried at Chieveley). On each occasion the named person is appointed an Overseer of the Poor for Peasemore always with the designation 'for Freelands' (Overseer's Book for Peasemore). It seemed to be the custom for the more significant resident rate payers to take it in turns to be an Overseer - every 6 or 7 years. New I want to find out more about Thomas and Elizabeth.
I am now less confident that Richard Head COLES moved to Peasemore abt 1816 as Richard HEAD. He may have sold the property to a sitting tenant / cousin called Richard HEAD. Or he may never have owned it - the three cottages could be all the property that was passed down the Thame / Grendon Underwood line (they seem to be worth enough to qualify for a vote).
All in all not a great day for my theory - the possibility of the 3 cottages (and not Freelands) being the property owned by Richard HEAD of Thame and passed on to his son John of Grendon Underwood means that there is an increased chance that a different Richard HEAD inherited Freelands in 1756. ???
Then I spent far too much time trying to decipher an indecipherable will (on film) whilst I am sure the original would be clearer it cannot be produced. Now I will waste a bit more time trying to make sense of the printout.
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Hello Newburyguy
Did your Richard Head (d1756) leave a Will? If so can you email me a copy or the details? Did any other of your Heads leave wills.
Matt
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Hi Matt,
I will send more by email - but to answer this query - the wills that underpin my theory on this HEAD migration are:
Richard HEAD of Leckhampstead, 1756 - Consistory Salisbury (WSRO) P1/11Reg/227 - available as a free download from the wondrous Wiltshire Wills Project. http://history.wiltshire.gov.uk/heritage/getwill.php?id=24636
Richard HEAD of Thame, Oxon, 1778 - PCC (TNA) Prob11/1043 (see http://www.burrell-wood.org.uk/FHist/Phil/England/Head/will_rich_1778.htm)
Mary HEAD of Grendon Underwood, Bucks, 1806 (widow of Richard of Thame) - Arch Bucks - Bucks RO D/A/WF/110/112 (see http://www.burrell-wood.org.uk/FHist/Phil/England/Head/will_mary_1806.htm)
John HEAD of Grendon Underwood, Bucks (formerly of Marsh Gibbon), 1816 - Arch Bucks - Bucks RO D/A/WF/113/13 (not yet transcribed - its a long one!).
Dates are for probate. The Bucks references are for the original wills, they also have probate register copies.
Mary's will has no relevence to the Peasemore property but it was the key bit of evidence that enabled me to link my previously mysterious Mary HOLT nee HEAD to the Thame family.
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I am now sure that Richard Head COLES moved to Peasemore under the name of Richard HEAD.
27 Jun 1817 Richard HEAD-COLES of Peasemore married Elizabeth PAINTER of Brightwalton at Brightwalton, by licence. (BFHS Berkshire Marriage Index)
This has to be the couple baptising chidren in 1819 (Ann) and 1821 (Elizabeth) as Richard and Elizabeth HEAD.
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And the next installment:
Will of Richard Head Coles Otherwise Richard Head, Farmer of Ellesborough , Buckinghamshire 24 August 1841 TNA/PROB 11/1949
Should have found this one ages ago - must have failed to look for Bucks HEADs :( Shows that it pays to search more than once.
This will confirms that Richard Head COLES is indeed the Richard HEAD who lived at Freelands in Peasemore in the early 1820s - it states that his daughters Ann and Elizabeth HEAD were born there (sometimes wills are soooo good). It identifies property in Peasemore (3 cottages) that he holds under the terms of his father's will, presumably the same 3 cottages that are listed under the ownership of Richard HEAD in the Peasemore valuations in 1838 & 1839.
A negative is the lack of Freelands amongst the property disposed of through the will. He certainly lived there, but did he every own it? I can theorise that the trustees of his father's will agreed to the sale of Freelands to fund the purchase of property in Ellesborough (a field and seven houses) where he also rented a farm - but can I prove the theory? Probably not - but I will keep looking.
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I am very interested in the Head family of Berkshire.
Elizabeth Head born 1730 married into our Pottinger line. She was an heiress and Roden House at Compton was probably built after John Pottinger married her. Sadly she died after giving birth to her second child. I have information on her inheritance and her family back to the 1600's.
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I'm sure these linkto my Heads somewhere along the line, and I know I have info on them. I will try and let you know what I have soon.
Matt
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Note that there were also HATT and HYDE families in the Leckhampstead/Peasemore area and there was some confusion between these names in the PRs, etc.
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Yes I have seen them too. Interestingly the name Hatt crops up in connection with my Heads somewhere. Head seems to have been spelt various ways including Head, Hede, Hed, Hedd, Hedde, Heed, and Heade.
Matt
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I have been researching the Head family too. I have a tree back to Thomas Head who married Elizabeth Allington in the 1600's . They had a son, Thomas, who died in 1758 in Compton, Berkshire.
He married Rachel Gregory and then Ann ?. He was a druggist at the Sign of the Unicorn, Exeter Exchange, London. He had property Fryor Street, Reading and Red Lane Farm, Reading. Residence Roden House., Compton, which came down to the Pottingers through marriage. I have a copy of the Hundred of Compton. which states the Head's are and old Kentish family. If anyone has any of these people on their tree I would love to hear from them.
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I have been researching the Head family too. I have a tree back to Thomas Head who married Elizabeth Allington in the 1600's . They had a son, Thomas, who died in 1758 in Compton, Berkshire.
He married Rachel Gregory and then Ann ?. He was a druggist at the Sign of the Unicorn, Exeter Exchange, London. He had property Fryor Street, Reading and Red Lane Farm, Reading. Residence Roden House., Compton, which came down to the Pottingers through marriage. I have a copy of the Hundred of Compton. which states the Head's are and old Kentish family. If anyone has any of these people on their tree I would love to hear from them.
I think I have some info on these but need to check. The names are familiar.
Matt
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I am trying to trace the HEAD and PUCKERIDGE families in Berkshire to which I am directly related. Could anyone please help.
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:D
The Puckeridge family and the my Head family are related.
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Thank you for the response. I am totally confused regarding the relationships with the Heads and Puckeridges,. Could you outline some details for me.
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Malcolm
I have a lot of info on the Palmer/Pottinger line of Berkshire. The other names are Heyward and Head that married into the Pottinger line and that is where the wealth came into the Pottinger line.
I have the Head line to the 1600's in St Martin's in the field. Sarah Head married Richard Puckeridge 3 feb 1738 at Speen.
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I have the marriage between Sarah Head and Richard Puckeridge as 3 Feb 1748, was the 1738 date in you message a mistype. I have Sarah Head birth as 1733 is this correct. I would appreciate any help you can give me on the parents etc of Sarah.
Thanks
Malcolm
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Malcolm
Sorry. I made a mistake.
Our Elizabeth and Sarah were sister's. Their parents were Henry Head and Elizabeth House who were married 13 Jan 1729 at St Matin in the Fields, London. Sarah was baptised 29 Nov 1732 at the same church. Elizabeth's daughter Rachel was an heiress. She married John Pottinger and he built Roden House in Compton with her money. Unfortunately she died after her second child Rachel was born. John never remarried and the money went out of the family with a marriage into the Stuckley-Stuckley family of Hartland Head, Devon.
Have you been to Compton? There are Head graves under the carpet by the alter.
I have information that says the Head family are from Kent. They lived at Langley Hall in the time of Henry V111. Do you know about this or the fact they were wealthy anf knighted?
Michelle
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Michelle,
Thank you for the great clarification. Here is what I have at the moment as I best understand it:
Henry Head = Elizabeth House (Children: Sarah, Elizabeth, William)
Elizabeth Head = John Pottinger (Children: Head Pottinger, Richard Pottinger, Rachael Pottinger)
Rachel married John Palmer
Is this all correct as you know it?
Why was Rachael an Heiress? What about Head Pottinger and Richard Pottinger.
Unfortunately I have not been to Compton but I do have some photos of the inside of the church.
I live in the USA having left England in the 70's. Go back every year, this year hopr to visit Compton.
Thanks for your help, any additional information would be very much appreciated.
Malcolm
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Malcolm
I will have to post his in bits.
We are decended from John Palmer and Rachel Pottinger. Rachel was at home when a deer being persued by the King jumped through the window and she shut it and refused to let the King have it. John Pottinger was called to sort it out. It was agreed the deer should be set free. John and Rachel were asked to tea at Windsor but did not go. I have the newspaper cutting about this.
Head Pottinger was the vicar of his fathes parish Compton but was deemed to be incompetent. I found a reference to this in Wiltshire Record Office. Michelle
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Malcolm
There is a tendency for people to be named after a wealthy relative who may leave them something in a will. Hence the name Head is still being used in the family today. Head must have been the really wealthy line. I have some information from a book written about the people of Compton which explains how the money came to Elizabeth Head.
The family have oil paintings and silver dating from the 1700's which were probably wedding presents.
I have been researching the namy lines on this side for a while. William Wordsworth is on the line as well as Earl's and people beheaded in the Tower of London. Michelle
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Malcolm
The Head family paid carriage and silver tax. There are also many documents at Record Offices with details of various leases including one mentioning a house called the Saint Thomas Head in Drury Lane, London. Michelle
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Hi Michelle,
Thank you for the prompt response. I am beginning to fill in some of the gaps.
You refer to a book written about the people of Compton which explains how the money came to Elizabeth Head.
do you have the title of the book so that I can search the internet for a used copy perhaps.
Thank in advance
Malcolm
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Malcolm
The book I referred to is Hundred of Compton by 1844 by William Hewitt. I have photocopied the relevant pages from a copy I found in Reading library. I also came across an American book by John Harris Watts online. It is $84 but I am not sure if it is our Head family. Also some o f these books are just lists of names.
Michelle
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Malcolm
Head tree.
Thomas Head born unknown married Elizabeth Allington.
Monumental inscroption Charterhouse Chapel. 2 Jan 1689 Thomas Head of St martin's in the Fileds and Elizabeth Allington of Little Bartholmew, London.
Son of the above Thomas Head born 1667 unknown died 1758 Compton, Berks.
Married (1) Ann. married Rachel Gregory. She died 3 Dec 1731 in Compton, Berks.
Sir Thomas Head knighted when serving as sheriff for Berkshire in 1744.
Occupation: Inn propariator of Winterbounre, also druggest at the Sign of the Unicorn at Exeter Exchange in the Strand.
Property: Fryor Street, St Lawrence, Reading. Red Lane Farm, St Giles, Reading.
Will 1758 Prob 11/839 PCC Benificary Elizabeth Head granddaughter. Wife of John Pottinger of Compton.
Notes for Rachel Gregory. Flagstone in front of the Alter Compton, Church. Here lieth the body of Mrs Rachel Head who died 30 Nov 1731 aged 47. Michelle
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Malcom Cont..
Children of Thoma sHead and Ann
Henry Head
Rachel Head bap 4 Oct 1713
m Francis Heyward.
Henry Head born unknwon married Elizabeth House 13 Jan 1829 St Martin in the field, Westminster. Daughte rof William House and Elizabeth. She was bap 31 Jan 1709/10.
Children of Henry and Elizabeth
Elizabeth Head bap 19 Nov 1730 St Martin in the Fields.
Thomas Head bap 8 Nov 1731 Ditto
Sarah Head bap 29 Nov 1732 DittoDied 5 Sept 1766 Compton
Rachel Head 16 Nov 1734 Ditto
Henry Head Bap 29 Sept 1737 Ditto
William Head bap 8 Nov 1749 Ditto
Michelle
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The book I referred to is Hundred of Compton by 1844 by William Hewitt.
Download it free at http://www.archive.org/details/historyantiquit00hewegoog
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Many thanks Newbury Chap. :)
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Michelle,
Thank you very much for the clarification of the HEAD tree. Just one question. Is the following right:
Thomas Head = Elizabeth Allington
Thomas Head (1667-1758) married Ann, then married Rachel Gregory. Is this the Sir Thomas Head that was knighted.
Thanks for your help.
Malcolm
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Malcolm
I have that marriage on the top of my tree. I think I picked it up from a record found on the internet about the memorial at Charterhouse Chapel. I have not been to the church.
Thomas Head mentioned his granddaughter Saah Puckeridge in his will of 1758.
Richard Puckeridge gentleman of Compton married Sarah Puckeridge. Died 1791 Will proved Oxford 1792. Monumental inscription and coat of arms in Compton church. Sarah had a brother John and a sister Elizabeth. She married William King of kintbury 1736 Compton.
John Puckeridge, yeoman of Deacon? farm, Wilcot? married Hannah. Will proved Marleborough, 1784. 9 children mentioned in will.
Do you have access to the Victorian Couty History Book for Berks.? There is a lot of info on all these familes.Michelle
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Malcolm
I have the story of how the money came to the Head family I will look it up. Hope you are not get confused with all this info.Michelle
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Hi Michelle,
Thanks again for the help. I have a slightly different tree. I don't know if I have errors. I have Richard Puckeridge married Sarah Head (1733-1766)
Sarah had a brother William Head and a sister Elizabeth Head who married John Pottinger.
Sarah's husband Richard had a sister Elizabeth Puckeridge who married William King. He also had a brother John Puckeridge who married a Hannah ?
I don't know if all this is right.
I am still trying to find out which Thomas Head was knighted.?
By the way thank you for the reference to the victoria County History of Berks. I have found it on the Internet. Excellent refererence.
Thanks again for your patience, Malcolm
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Malcolm
If you have read the Victorian County history book all should come clear. I have looked at my Pottinger records and found my typed history of the House and my tree ties up with this. Thomas Head knight comes from this line and Thomas born in 1667. I have not been able to check all that is listed by the VCH book. Some of the information is what the families thought happened in the past. This is true of our line as well. Stories becoome distorted.
I do have a Pottinger tree back to the 1500's.
The grave of Rachel Gregory is a large stone slab set in the tiled floor of the church so she must have been very influential to be buried there. The stone reads:
Here Lieth the body of Mrs Rachel Head. Who died 3o th november 1731.Michelle
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Hi Michelle,
Thanks once again for the rapid response and clarification. I am wading through the History of the county of Berks. Eye opening!!!. It's clearing up a lot of issues with my tree. Thanks so much for the recomendation.
Malcolm
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In common with Malshep and Matgeorges, I am looking at the Head family of Compton and surrounding area,and their links to the Chancellor family of Compton and possibly Hungerford. I have one half of the tree made by Cherry drawn up in ca1840-50, showing a clear line back to the Thomas of Roden House,ca1667.Earlier than that ,key parts of the Cherry tree are missing. I keep finding references to this tree ,in Berkshire histories but all search engines refer me to the arboreal plant,hostelries etc !Any ideas of where it is on line or means of accessing it.Thanks in advance,Chris
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What Cherry history were you chasing? The Cherrys of Bray? The history and antiquities of the parish of Bray on www.archive.org has the family tree.
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thanks for your interest-I have researched him a little more. He was Henry Curtis Cherry(d 1864)who wrote at least 3 volumes of the genealogies of various Berkshire families, entitled "Bercheriensis prosapiae",of whom the Heads were one,ca 1851. although intended it was never published,and now is in Reading University special collections,Ref ms104.
I think it might be on fiche-as my late aunt obtained a (frustratingly) part copy of the Head tree,in 1970 and wrote about the machine scroller going wrong! It is referred to in the 1924 Berkshire Histories of various manors. Iwould welcome comments from anyone who has accessed this magnum opus. Chris
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I had never heard of this work - must have a look at it somewhen.
http://www.collectionsgateway.org.uk/collections/77/cherry.pdf
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Does anyone have a transcript or contents of Richard Head (Hede) Will from Winterbourne Berks. Died 1530
Thanks in adavnce
Malshep
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I don't know if it adds anything to what you already have, but I have some Heads of Chievely/Kintbury/Boxford.
There were also 2 families of Thomas Head and Hannah producing children 1786 to 1805 - one in Chievely (mine) and one in Hampstead Norris (where another line of my ancestors come from)
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Does anyone have a transcript or contents of Richard Head (Hede) Will from Winterbourne Berks. Died 1530
Thanks in adavnce
Malshep
I have a transcript of his will somewhere plus the wills of his descendants. How are you related to Richard? Would you like me to send you a copy of the transcript?
Matt
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I don't know if it adds anything to what you already have, but I have some Heads of Chievely/Kintbury/Boxford.
There were also 2 families of Thomas Head and Hannah producing children 1786 to 1805 - one in Chievely (mine) and one in Hampstead Norris (where another line of my ancestors come from)
The Heads of Winterbourne, Chieveley and Boxford are all linked and are also (later) linked to Heads in Newbury, Greenham, and Thacham. However I haven't yet found a link to those in Kintbury although I think a link must exist.
Matt
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Malcolm
Sorry. I made a mistake.
Our Elizabeth and Sarah were sister's. Their parents were Henry Head and Elizabeth House who were married 13 Jan 1729 at St Matin in the Fields, London. Sarah was baptised 29 Nov 1732 at the same church. Elizabeth's daughter Rachel was an heiress. She married John Pottinger and he built Roden House in Compton with her money. Unfortunately she died after her second child Rachel was born. John never remarried and the money went out of the family with a marriage into the Stuckley-Stuckley family of Hartland Head, Devon.
Have you been to Compton? There are Head graves under the carpet by the alter.
I have information that says the Head family are from Kent. They lived at Langley Hall in the time of Henry V111. Do you know about this or the fact they were wealthy anf knighted?
Michelle
Do you have any photos of the Head graves at Compton? I am descended from the Heads of Winterbourne and Chieveley. These branch are also connected to the Heads in Compton and Langley through various lines.
Matt
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Hi MatD30,
I am related to Richard head as follows:
Head (7 Gen.) → Puckeridge (1 Gen.) → Chancellor (3 Gen.) → Sheppard (4 Gen.)
I would be exptremely grateful if you would send me coppies of any Head Wills that you have. any other information on the Head Line would be very helpful also.
Thanks in advance
Malshep
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The Heads of Winterbourne, Chieveley and Boxford are all linked and are also (later) linked to Heads in Newbury, Greenham, and Thacham. However I haven't yet found a link to those in Kintbury although I think a link must exist.
Matt
Thomas Head married (Jo)hanna(h) Maskell 14-7-1783 at Yattendon, they had 3 children baptised at Chievely (Isaac, Amy and George). Isaac (my interest) had a large family including Isaac (Winterbourne) and George (Hungerford) (my interest). George married Harriet Leader 14-10-1841 in Kintbury and they had 6 children all baptised at Kintbury. I can let you have more names and dates if they are of any interest to you in linking the families up.
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Hi MatD30,
I am related to Richard head as follows:
Head (7 Gen.) → Puckeridge (1 Gen.) → Chancellor (3 Gen.) → Sheppard (4 Gen.)
I would be exptremely grateful if you would send me coppies of any Head Wills that you have. any other information on the Head Line would be very helpful also.
Thanks in advance
Malshep
Hi there
I quite literally have boxes of info on the Heads as I am trying to compile a book about them. I have several wills although not all these are transcribed. If you let me know if there is anyone in particular you want a will for I will see if I have it, or I can send you a list of all the wills I have. I also have various Chancery records and other documents involving the Heads.
One name which links with the Heads (not through my direct line but through a side branch) is the name Buckeridge and this may well be a variation of Puckeridge. I also have some information relating to links between Buckeridge/Head as well if you are interested.
Matt
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The Heads of Winterbourne, Chieveley and Boxford are all linked and are also (later) linked to Heads in Newbury, Greenham, and Thacham. However I haven't yet found a link to those in Kintbury although I think a link must exist.
Matt
Thomas Head married (Jo)hanna(h) Maskell 14-7-1783 at Yattendon, they had 3 children baptised at Chievely (Isaac, Amy and George). Isaac (my interest) had a large family including Isaac (Winterbourne) and George (Hungerford) (my interest). George married Harriet Leader 14-10-1841 in Kintbury and they had 6 children all baptised at Kintbury. I can let you have more names and dates if they are of any interest to you in linking the families up.
Do you know where/when this first Thomas was born or who his parents were?
Matt
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Do you know where/when this first Thomas was born or who his parents were?
MattD30. Afraid not, though Isaac seems to be a fairly persistent name for first born son. His children were baptised 25-11-1787, 19-11-1790 and 10-5-1795.
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Do you know where/when this first Thomas was born or who his parents were?
MattD30. Afraid not, though Isaac seems to be a fairly persistent name for first born son. His children were baptised 25-11-1787, 19-11-1790 and 10-5-1795.
I have a Thomas Head born in Newbury in 1758 but so far have not being able to prove that he is the same Thomas. However the Heads of Newbury did originate in Chieveley so it is possible he moved back there.
The name Isaac does not seem to appear on any other branch of the Head family tree which is interesting.
When did your Thomas die?
Matt
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Matt re "When did your Thomas die?"
Sorry - I only know of him from his children's baptisms
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I am looking forward to Matts book- the Head dynasty in the 16th and 17th centuries is complex and confusing, spread as it is over different manors and parishes.A real Headache ! I for one would welcome a definative understandable work on them,to add to those of Cherry, and Horton Smith already mentioned.The latter is part on line-
"The Heads of Newbury and of Winterbourn" (ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/adsdata.../BAJ051-A06- horton-smith.pdf) and "The
earliest Head of Winterbourne and his second sons descendants. "(ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/adsdata/arch.../BA048-A02-horton smith.pdf.) A full copy appears to be in Reading library reference section.
From these sources and various on line trees it would appear most branches stem from Richard Hede ca1475-1530.Horton Smith gives his will as 25/5/1530 held in Arch Berks A131.I hope this helps others in this most difficult quest. Chris
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I am looking forward to Matts book- the Head dynasty in the 16th and 17th centuries is complex and confusing, spread as it is over different manors and parishes.A real Headache ! I for one would welcome a definative understandable work on them,to add to those of Cherry, and Horton Smith already mentioned.The latter is part on line-
"The Heads of Newbury and of Winterbourn" (ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/adsdata.../BAJ051-A06- horton-smith.pdf) and "The
earliest Head of Winterbourne and his second sons descendants. "(ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/adsdata/arch.../BA048-A02-horton smith.pdf.) A full copy appears to be in Reading library reference section.
From these sources and various on line trees it would appear most branches stem from Richard Hede ca1475-1530.Horton Smith gives his will as 25/5/1530 held in Arch Berks A131.I hope this helps others in this most difficult quest. Chris
I agree that most, in fact probably all of the Head families in Winterbourne, Chieveley and Newbury, descend from Richard Hede/Head (1475-530) but finding where he comes from is more of a puzzle as I have found no clues in his will or in the Wills of other Heads in Berkshire.
Another set of Heads were based in Compton, and nearby parishes and these married into the Winterbourne/Chieveley Head lines via the Pococke family of Langley (it gets very complex at this point) so Richard might have come from around that area.
I have most of what I have established on the Heads written up as a Word doc so if anyone wants more details it might be easier to pm me and I can send you the details directly.
I have a lot of wills relating to the Head family [included in the Word document where I know who they relate to] and can put a list on here if it helps.
Matt
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It the age old problem for family historians - there just isn't enough information before parish registers. I can take my HEAD line back in Peasemore/Leckhampstead to 1538, the first year of PRs. Earlier than that I am fairly convinced there will be a link to the Winterbourne line, but have no data to prove it. Horton-Smith believed that the executor named in Richard Head's will of 1530 was Raffe/Ralph Head of Leckhampstead - again with no proof.
Incidently Horton-Smith wrote several articles on the Winterbourne line as well as the book. The book itself is usually to be found on second hand sites such as bookfinder (I suspect he had a lot printed). Several of the articles appear in the Berkshire Archaeological Journal:
http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/adsdata/arch-787-1/dissemination/pdf/BAJ047_PDFs/BAJ047_A03_horton-smith.pdf
http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/adsdata/arch-787-1/dissemination/pdf/BAJ048_PDFs/BAJ048_A02_horton-smith.pdf
http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/adsdata/arch-787-1/dissemination/pdf/BAJ051_PDFs/BAJ051_A06_horton-smith.pdf
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Newberry Chap
I re read your Head information and remembered the Head family are mentioned in the Victorian
County History book for Berkshire and a book about Compton in the Berks record Office. John Head bought the Manor of Compton as well. There are varoius wills in the Berks RO and the PCC.
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I presume the Compton book is The History & Antiquities of the Hundred of Compton, Berks - available online at http://www.archive.org/details/historyantiquit00hewegoog
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Ys. That is the book. :D
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Hi,
I am related to Sarah Head. 4xGGM
Is the word doc showing ancestry etc still available. Only just started researching the family.
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On a previous message to your one it mentioned a connection for the book. I could not open it.
The only book I have seen in Reading Library is by Cherry and this does not give family trees only
general information on the families. My Elizabeth Head was born in 1730 and she was an heiress and married John Pottinger. Mat
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Hi,
I could not open it.
If you click on the address by Newburychap, then click on read on line (PDF) it will open so you can read it.
You can then save it as a "web archive" to your desktop which is what I have done.
Alan
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Sir Thomas Head 1667-1758 was knighted whilst he was high sheriff of Berkshire. In his will he also left money to Sarah Puckeridge, nee Head. Elizabeth and Sarah were siblings.
I think the premises mentioned in the Archives are pubs. The Saint Thomas Head, The Golden Key, The Ship and the Black Boy. Thomas Head was living in London but moved to Berkshire. He purchased Roden House for £2000 from John Vande Bemside in 1714.
I have another will which I cannot tie up to my family as yet.. It is Prob11/222 23 June 1652. Thomas Head of Breedon.. He had a brother called Francis and a wife Katherine.
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Hi again
I'm still struggling with my ancestry but have sorted out the (they seemed to have worked for William Fisher a gentleman farmer at Winterbourne Farm) and the Beesleys.
Your work on the Chancellor line was pretty exhaustive and interesting (just been reading it again).
Would appreciate anything you have on the Heads and Puckeridges. These areas seem quite a maze.
Thanks
Eddie Sammons from Spain but connected via the Pococks and (moving backwards) through the Chancellors.
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:D
I have a Richard Puckeridge who married Sarah Head. Richard was of Compton. They had Henry, Thomas, Sarah, Elizabeth, Rachel, Richard, Mary and Henry. Is this your line?
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Thank you. Yes, it is. Elizabeth Puckeridge married Joseph Chancellor. Their daughter Martha married Thomas Pocock, the direct line to Mary Anne Pocock (the maiden name of my grandmother).
Any background on the Head (Hede) and Puckeridge (Puckridge) families would be most helpful and appreciated.
Thanks - Eddie
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I'm trying to keep my HEAD above water!
There seems to be much confusion over Thomas Head. The druggist from London was a man of wealth and married Elizabeth Allington (1689 in London). As I see it, they had at least two children both boys. He appears to have died in 1758.
Thomas jr must have been born 1690-1695 in London on the basis of his parents' wedding date and the birth of his own daughter, Rachel, in 1713 (London, again) surely named after his wife Rachel who died in 1731. He must have married Ann after that date.
The other known son was Henry born in 1704 (London). He married Elizabeth House in 1729 and thus started the chain to which I can safely connect a direct link - Sarah Head/Richard Puckeridge - Elizabeth Puckeridge/Joseph Chancellor etc.
I may be wrong but as much as I would like to be descended from a Sir and a Sheriff of Berkshire, I feel this cannot be so.
That character who was knighted in 1744 was the son of Richard and Elizabeth (née Wallis) Head of Langley House, Berkshire. Sir Thomas didn't marry until 1750 (Jane Holt). (see www.thepeerage.com. They had three children (Walter, William and Jane). Walter ended up with a nice inheritance but he had to change his name to James. He was knighted in 1791 as Sir Walter James.
I do hope my line of thinking is correct and, as always, I am open to correction.
I am still hoping for any insight into the Puckridge /Puckeridge family. Richard is noted as a gentlemen - surely there must be something about him somewhere!
Eddie
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Sir Thomas didn't marry until 1750 (Jane Holt).
Interesting - my own Head ancestry is through a Head/Holt marriage around that time (1772). My Head was from the Peasemore/Leckhamstead line - landowners in a very small way. My Holts are a Buckinghamshire family. Probably coincidence, but I must get around to doing some more work on that branch of my tree.
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Thanks for the comments. There are indeed many strings to the Head bow as I have found out with my continuation through to the Pococks which can be equally confusing!
The main problem with all families at that time was the handing down names from parent to child. My line (Thomas Head, the druggist) was short-listed for Sheriff of Berkshire. The article from 1738 notes that the position is for the ENSUING year. He lost out to William Trumbull. The other Thomas Head (Sir) got the job in 1744. It does tell us that some of the Heads were pretty wealthy and influential. That is where at least some confusion has come in.
Interesting stuff if a bit time consuming! I hope to return to UK later this year and maybe visit all these villages north of Newbury, my home town (via Winterbourne and Newtown).
Yours
Eddie
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Eddie
Is it possible to have a direct contact and sort the trees out. Michelle :)
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Michelle
Happy to make direct mail contact and try and sort out this bit of history. I should warn you that I live in Spain and what I have has come from various web sites, some personal contact and some extensive personal work on UK visits.
There is just one problem - and you'll have to forgive an old-timer - I've no idea how to make such contact as this site (quite rightly) discourages the posting of eMail addresses. Trying to use the PM system has sent me around in ever-decreasing circles!
Please advise me on this and I'll do my best to get us in contact
Eddie.
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Hello! I don't know if anyone ever checks this thread anymore. But just to say I am related to Rachel Pottinger and John Palmer (I think!). We have the famous story of the stag in our family. My brothers are both Head Palmers, my dad is John Head Palmer, his father (who will be 100 on the 25th of June!) is Jason Richard Head Palmer and it's through his line that we are related. He has a stack of research in his house some where!
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Hello Jess,
Yes members receive an email notification when someone replies to the topic, like you have done so here ;)
The member who started off this topic was last online a few months ago.
Regards
Sarah